Avoid Being the Victim of Burglars

There has been a rash of break-ins over the past few weeks in Leominster, mostly targeting single-family homes, according to police reports.

Mayor Dean Mazzarella, himself a former police officer, says that citizens should remain aware of what's going on in their neighborhood and not be afraid to report anything suspicious.

"If you see something, don't hesitate to call the police. You're never going to be bothering an officer and most of the time the information that can help make or break a case comes from the public," Mazzarella said.

If you see something suspicious in your neighborhood, call the Leominster Police Department at (978) 534-7560. Of course, in the case of an emergency, call 9-1-1. Tips to keep homes secure

• Make things difficult: When a criminal chooses a home to burglarize, he wants a target that is both easy to break into and poorly lit. More than 50 percent of burglaries involve some forcible entry, so the sturdier your doors and locks and the more well-lit your property, the more likely the burglar will move on and choose another house. The more difficult your home appears to burglarize, the less likely it will be.

• Put away all tools: Tools can include hammers, screwdrivers, ladders, etc. If you're stringing up holiday lights, be sure to put the ladder away before heading off on a holiday vacation. Otherwise you could be inviting burglars to break in through upstairs windows, which are less likely to be locked. In the meantime, screwdrivers, hammers and other tools can be used to break windows or doorknobs or pick locks.

Be sure to lock all tools in the garage.

• Keep all valuables away from windows: If you're traveling between holidays and leaving gifts at home, make sure all wrapped gifts are kept away from windows where potential burglars can peer in. If you have a Christmas tree, move all gifts out from under the tree when traveling.

• Find a key buddy: Burglars are aware of all the potential hiding places for keys that a home has to offer. Under the mat, in a spare car's wheel well or glove compartment, or on the top shelf in the garage are all standard locales for hiding house keys. Instead of hiding a key on the property, find a trusted neighbor or relative who lives nearby and exchange spare keys.

• Have your mail held at the post office: Nothing tells a burglar that your house is fair game like a mailbox overstuffed with several weeks' worth of letters and flyers. The post office will hold your mail if you request they do so. Also, if you're having any gifts sent to your home via the mail or a shipping service and there is not designated date of arrival, have the gifts sent to your office instead. This will keep them from sitting on the porch or your apartment doorstep/lobby, where they're fair game for thieves.